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Military Parley With Civilian On Peace Building

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In an effort towards fostering unity and breaching the communication gap between Journalists, Bloggers and the Armed Forces of Nigeria, the Department of Civil-Military Affairs, Army Headquarters have been engaging the civilian populace in various ways to ensure a peaceful society.

The Nigeria Army in partnership with Security Affairs has been organizing a series of seminars on social media influencers since 2018. So far such fora had taken place in Port Harcourt, Maiduguri,  Owerri, Ibadan, Lagos, Jos, Kano, Akure, Sokoto, Osogbo, Makurdi, Asaba, Jalingo, Uyo, Kaduna, Enugu, and Yola.

Speaking at the 17th edition of the seminar in Yola, the Adamawa state capital with a theme: “Imperatives of the non-kinetic line of operations in Asymmetric Warfare” the Chief Military Civil Affairs Maj. Gen MG Kangye said the military has recorded success in the fight against terrorists in the North East, thousands of them surrendered and profiled.

“These successes were underreported by the media. Such an attitude affects productivity of the Nigerian Army, I’m optimistic that the narrative would change as the Army engages in building all relationships.

“Let’s form a common front in strengthening the relationship between the Armed Forces and the civilians so as to make the country conducive and secure for developmental activities to thrive.

“Military is members of the society and any military officer that goes astray while performing his duty will be sanctioned by applying relevant sections of the Armed Forces” he said.

General Kangye solicited the continuous support of civilians for a well-coordinated, deepened, and sustained Military-Civil Relation, and assured Nigerians the Nigeria Army remained firm in the discharge of duty of protecting territorial integrity of Nigeria.

In a paper presentation on “Imperatives of Influence Operations in the Conduct of Asymmetric Warfare” the Director Psychological Warfare, defence Headquarters Maj. General EAP Undiadeye noted that “fake news” is the root cause of genocide in Rwanda as in which innocent Hutu were killed by the Tutsi who constitute the majority in the land.

“Media should always avail the military with facts at their disposal which will go a long way in curtailing fake news circulating in the social media as most of teeming youths in the country relied solely on news emanating from social media not mindful about the conventional media.

“Social media usage especially by a certain careless group of bloggers is a frightening and unhealthy dimension that requires collective efforts by all to address,” he said.

General EAP Undiadeye noted that some of the factors militating against social media include firsthand information syndrome and lack of fact cross-checking among others and urged Journalists to Google check so as to identify fake news.

Also his presentation on “Influence Operations for Perception Management Imperatives in Nigerian Army Non-kinetic Engagements” Dr. Lanre Adebayo reminded the participants to always have the interest of the country at heart before any consideration by projecting the country’s image in good light.

“Kuwait was invaded about twenty years ago by the then United States President George Bush, and supported by the then Prime Minister of Britain Mr. Tony Blair on the ground that Kuwait possesses a nuclear weapon, but after the invasion, it was discovered that the story of possessing nuclear weapon is untrue as revealed by a journalist who was later found dead, this indicates that beyond the nuclear weapons the two NATO Member countries have something different in mind for invading Kuwait,” he added.

Adebayo, a veteran Journalist advised journalists and other media workers to broadcast their news and programmes in line with the tenet of their profession.

“Journalism profession is being maligned by some nonprofessional practitioners, it is the right time to rescue and restore dignity and its sanctity.

“Military should also deploy effective and sustained influence operations to engage the public about the institution as part of long term policy towards maintaining peace, progress, and security of Nigeria,” he said.

In his remark,  Amb. Austin Peacemaker, Executive Director of Security Affairs said the seminar was to bridge the gap between the Nigerian Army and the civil populace.

“We came up with this initiative to ensure that there is continuous dialogue in a good democracy, we believe if we talk, engage and rub minds we won’t fight nor clash. And we felt the military to is not exempt.

“While they are willing to tell us their story or about the Nigerian Army we civilians also rub minds with them, discuss our concerns while also promising to be patriotic and fair to them in supporting and appreciating our Nation’s Army.

“We believe #theNigerianArmyisOurArmy and we have no other as a country, so no matter what,” he said.

Peacemaker who is also an ECOWAS Youth Ambassador stated that the seminar apart from educating will serve as a networking platform, and urged Nigerians to continue defending the country.

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Nigeria: chibok abduction anniversary spurs demands for justice

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Militants, alongside relatives of victims of the infamous abduction of the Chibok schoolgirls that sparked global outrage in 2014, gathered in Lagos on Sunday, April 14, to renew calls for the release of the remaining girls in captivity.

The Sunday meeting was organized to mark the 10th anniversary of the abduction that affected 276 schoolgirls from the Government Girls Secondary School in Chibok, Borno State, northeastern Nigeria.

“What I would ask the government is to find a way to work towards bringing back our sisters because I know it is only the government that can help us bring back these girls,” said Grace Dauda, a rescued Chibok schoolgirl.

Another rescued schoolgirl, Rebecca Malu, added, “They should stay safe. They should stay strong, one day, they will be released like us.”

While some girls managed to escape on their own, others have been freed over the years through intense campaigns by civil society organizations and government negotiations. But this human rights activist, Ayo Obe, is calling for more action from the authorities.

“We know that we started with missing persons numbering two hundred and fifty-six; it is already an improvement that we are down to 91. But of course, 91 is 91 lives unaccounted for. We appreciate the fact that so many of them escaped during the abduction itself. We appreciate the fact that the government has brought back so many more of them, but we say that we don’t stop here. We need the momentum that has happened since the mass return during the Buhari administration in 2016-2017 to be maintained. We expected that the remaining girls would have been brought back,” she said.

Mass school children kidnapping in Nigeria has continued nearly unabated since Chibok. Around 1,700 students have been kidnapped in raids since 2014 according to Amnesty International.

A member of the Bring Back Our Girls movement and convener of the 10th-year anniversary in Lagos, Opeyemi Adamolekun, lamented this as unfortunate.

“Unfortunately, it became political between 2014 and 2015, part of the amplification of the movement was part of the 2015 presidential campaign. And we saw the effect of the first batch of 21 that were released with the help of the Red Cross and the Swiss government. The second batch of 82 that were released with the help of the Red Cross and the Swiss government as well. But unfortunately, it seems that energy sort of dissipated because the government doesn’t feel as much pressure as they used to feel,” she said.

For this group of Nigerians, the government must match words with more action to stem the tide of mass school kidnappings in the country.

According to the Murtala Muhammed Foundation, a charity that advocates for the Chibok schoolgirls, about 90 girls still remain in captivity while dozens of the schoolgirls freed over the years are living inside a military-run rehabilitation camp with surrendered Boko Haram fighters they married in the Sambisa forest, Boko Haram’s main hideout.

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Nigeria suspends permit of 3 private jet operators

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Nigeria’s Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has taken action against private jet operators flouting regulations by suspending the Permit for Non-Commercial Flights (PNCF) of three operators caught conducting commercial flights.

This crackdown follows warnings issued in March 2024.

Acting Director General Capt. Chris Najomo stated that increased surveillance at Nigerian airports led to the grounding of three operators found violating their PNCF terms. Specifically, they breached annexure provisions and Part 9114 of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Regulations 2023.

In response, the NCAA announced a thorough re-evaluation of all PNCF holders to ensure compliance with regulations, to be completed by April 19th, 2024. PNCF holders have been instructed to submit necessary documents within 72 hours to expedite the process. Najomo emphasized these actions highlight the NCAA’s commitment to enhancing safety in Nigerian airspace.

Furthermore, the NCAA warned the public against using charter operators without a valid Air Operators Certificate and urged legitimate industry players to report any suspicious activities promptly.

This crackdown comes after the NCAA’s stern warning in March against PNCF holders engaging in commercial operations.

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Senator Cory Booker Leads a Congressional Delegation to Nigeria

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Photo: Senator Cory Booker (In the back) and a Diplomat from the US Department of State, joins with members of the Academy for Women Alumnae Association including Mercy Ogori of Kokomi Africa and Adebisi Odeleye of Moore Organics.

Senator Cory also met women entrepreneurs from the Academy for Women Alumnae Association

Last week, US Senator Cory Booker from New Jersey led a congressional delegation to Nigeria, which included House of Representatives members Sara Jacobs and Barbara Lee from California. The purpose of the visit was to discuss a partnership on sustainable development. During the talks, Nigerian President Bola Tinubu expressed his administration’s dedication to strengthening democracy through upholding the rule of law and ensuring good governance, justice, and fairness for all citizens. Senator Booker emphasized the shared values of democracy, the rule of law, and commitment to peace and good governance that bind Nigeria and the United States as partners.

The delegation also met with women entrepreneurs from the Academy for Women Alumnae Association, who had participated in US-sponsored exchange programs. Led by Adebisi Odeleye of Moore Organics, the businesswomen shared their experiences and discussed their entrepreneurial endeavors. Other Academy members were Mandela Washington Fellow, Nkem Okocha of Mama Moni, Inemesit Dike of LegalX, and Mercy Ogori of Kokomi.

The partnership between the United States and Nigeria has lasted over six decades, focusing on addressing security challenges, enhancing health security, and responding to global health crises. Despite obstacles like corruption, poverty, and insecurity, the US remains dedicated to supporting Nigerian institutions and promoting free, fair, transparent, and peaceful elections.

During the visit to the State House, Senator Booker reiterated the shared values of democracy, the rule of law, and commitment to peace and good governance that unite Nigeria and the United States as partners.

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